Z-Charged
by Pokemonfanthings
Summary: Ash wants to prove to his daughter that he is adventurous.
1. Part One

**WELCOME!**

 **Author Notes:**

All cannon characters and places mentioned belong to The Pokémon Company. All the OCs in here except for 'Floretta' belong to chipotlepeppers. Visit chipotlepeppers' profile for more stories like this one and for background info on these OCs.

I have four stories posted on this account and I am actively writing more. So far all of them feature the OCs Amber Ketchum and Jay Morgan as the main characters.

This symbol "~" I use the same way writer WindStar27 uses it—to draw out a voice. So instead of writing 'Pikachuuu', I'll put 'Pikachu~'.

If something doesn't make sense or you have questions, leave questions in reviews and I will answer them via guest review asap. Or you can PM me if you have an account.

This story is only 2 Chapters long: Part 1 and Part Two. Each is only about 2,000 words.

I would like to get some feedback, so even if you don't like it, leave a review. Just word them kindly, especially if you are responding to someone else's review.

Thank you for clicking!

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 **Z-Charged**

 **Description:** Ash wants to prove to his daughter that he is adventurous.

Like her parents, adventure is a priority in the life of twelve-year-old Amber Ketchum.

The best kind of adventures are the ones that take place in the forest and fields of the Viridian District with her team of flying Pokémon and loyal Pikachu Pip. Most days in the off-season of Pokémon journeying are spent pushing limits. How fast could she ride Pidgeot before she lost grip? How far can an arrow from her bow fly from the back of her Charizard? How high could she soar before her neighbors spotted her in the sky and called her parents, ordering her descent? The answers were typically way above average for someone her age.

But she always had supervision. An almost fourteen-year-old named Jezz and his cousin Jay, her two best friends. Two guys, one of whom she has known since the era of diapers and another she was still trying to figure out.

I was the autumn season and the days had started to become chilly. Since Amber is not currently on a journey, she is at her home in Cerulean City. She grabbed her bow and arrows and headed to the kitchen not long after the dim glow of the sunrise reached her eyelids. Eager to stuff her face with her favorite cereal, she discovered that her dad had the same idea as she did.

"Sup?" she said as she took the Lucky Charms from her father's hand.

"Pikachu chu~," Pip said as he and Ash's Pikachu touched tails, their usual 'good morning'.

"Just attempting to enjoy some cereal," Ash said as he reclaimed the box. "Then I am heading over to the Battle Factory."

"The usual _routine_ ," Amber replied, emphasizing the last word.

"I hate that word. It isn't a routine, it's an adventure. Almost every day I meet a new Pokémon, one that I have never seen before, or I get to witness a new move. And I get to battle. It's the best job in the world. 'Routine' is no way to describe it," Ash argued.

And though Ash's words are valid, Amber didn't think it so. Sure, new Pokémon are everywhere nowadays, now that the fusion Pokémon once isolated in the icy region of Toka are now prevalent in Kanto, leading to more variety…but still, Amber thought it boring that her dad went to the same place every day. She doesn't understand how the job gives him such joy. This is a man who has taken down mafia leaders and conversed with legendary Pokémon. A man will to jump off a cliff if there were a slight possibility that a Pokémon could be saved from a fall. Stupid, but brave. Now he spent his days in a safe environment. Some days she had a tough time imagining her dad doing the wild things he done in his youth, sometimes before he had reached the age she is now.

She voiced her opinion.

"You wouldn't find my life boring if you were me," Ash retorted.

"I—"

Amber's cell rang and Pip tossed it to her.

"Wazup?" she said.

"Amb, I am like, super, super, like really sorry, but like, I can't meet you," Jay began.

"Got a hot date?" she queried.

Ash raised his eyebrows at her and the two Pikachu giggled.

"No…" Jay replied.

"Robbing a bank? Jumping out of a plane? Summoning the dead?" she quizzed.

"No, nothing like that," said Jay. "You'll laugh."

"Probably. I want to know because you are acting so secretive. Does it have to do with Jezz?"

"No. My mom made me a nail appointment. I sorta miss going with her, papa, and Lily so I don't want to pass it up. You and I go into the woods every day almost so I figured you wouldn't mind much."

"We don't do it literally every day!"

Her father laughed and Amber glared. ' _Who is into routines now?'_ she imagined him thinking. She growled.

"It sounds like you just growled. Are you upset?" Jay asked.

"No. My dad is being dumb," she explained.

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I know how much you love your manicures. Will you come for lunch?"

"Yes, I promise."

"K. See ya."

"See ya."

"Did he cancel on you?" Ash asked with fake empathy the moment she hung up.

"Yeah, but it's not like he's obligated. We—"

She almost said, 'we do this all the time', but she held back her words. She didn't want to become a hypocrite.

"I mean, we go on journeys a lot and Jay is a mommy and a daddy's boy. He is going to get his nails done with them because he doesn't get to see them every day and he misses them for some reason. That's okay. Jezz will probably come. It won't be as fun, but whatever," Amber shrugged.

"Jessie and James hang out with their son all the time. You and I should hang out more," said Ash.

"Okay…"

Amber loves hanging out with her dad because it is an adventure. The exceptions are watching him beat trainers younger them him at the Battle Factory. But 'it puts bread on the table' according to her parents. Lately he has been working more, her mother too, because they are saving up for something. She doesn't know what, but that is what they keep telling her.

"I know you don't love the fact that I am a Frontier Brain, but I can take off whenever. Trainers who are dedicated should be willing to wait a day to challenge me. How about we hang out today? I have something in mind," Ash told her. "I just want to battle a few people first because some of them called ahead and they are expecting me. I would like you to come with me."

"Then I will be blowing off Jezz," she replied.

"He can come too."

"I guesso…but if we do something fun, I don't want Jay to miss out."

"Take me or leave me."

She was thinking hard about it as she ate her breakfast and her dad groomed Pikachu and Pip. She was moments away from affirming the choice she wanted to make all along but then her phone rang again. This time it was Jezz, and he was on video chat. His eyes were sleepy and hair disheveled.

"I have unfortunate news," he started.

"Ummm okay. What is up?" she replied.

"Annie doesn't want me to leave the house."

"How come?"

"My lungs."

"Okay. Save your breath. Do you want to join me and Jay for lunch at least?"

He gave her the hand motion that means 'maybe'. She smiled despite being disappointed.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"It's fine. Feel better. Good luck."

Jezz nodded and then miserably shut down the chat. Amber stared at the blank screen. She sighed and examined her options. Ash Ketchum appeared everywhere.

"His lungs? What is that about?" her dad asked.

"None of your business," she responded.

She was even less willing to explain her friend's frequent sickness as she was in the mood to watch her father battle other people. She didn't have to say this out loud for Ash to pick up on it.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked.

"No. I just am—hey, so tell me about what you have planned for today."

"If it's you and me, I got something special in mind."

Amber is too jaded to ever admit to this, but she adores her father's surprises. Last surprise was a ride on Lugia's back as they traveled over the Melemele sea. Before that it was a Lapras who could communicate via telepathy. For her eleventh birthday she got to meet her heroes in the sport of archery. None of these were planned much, either.

Her mother joined them in the kitchen.

"Which one of you ate all the Lucky Charms?" she moaned as she shook the empty box.

Ash and Amber pointed to each other and yelled 'he did' and 'she did' at the same time.

"Do we have anymore?"

"Nope. Sorry, mama. I regret everything," Amber smirked.

"So sincere," she laughed as bumped against her.

"Azu~" Azumarill said as she handed Misty a box of Chex.

"Thank you. Did I hear Jezz on your video chat?" she asked.

"He's sick. So shocking," Amber answered.

"Poor thing. At least you have Jay."

"He's getting primped with his parents today."

"Must be hair and nails, you can care to join them. You need a trim," Misty replied.

"No, I need adventure," she replied.

Misty and Ash smiled to one another. Amber anticipated their response.

"Let's give her the thing," Misty suggested.

"Azumarill zuu."

"Pika!"

"Thing?" she asked excitedly.

"After lunch," Ash responded.

Amber kept asking them what they had planned, but neither spilled. She decided to join her dad at the Battle Factory since that was more exciting than sitting alone in the forest.

"Floretta?" Amber asked as her cousin entered the arena.

"I am here to challenge Ash," the sixteen-year-old answered.

Floretta is Violet's daughter. Amber only sees her once or twice a year, since her aunt loves taking trips around the world with her sisters—excluding Misty. Floretta practically lives on a cruise ship. Amber was surprised to see her in Cerulean City.

"I went to the Buni region and earned all eight gym badges. I never got around to getting to the League—but I still want to try my hand at the Battle Frontier. I figured why not try here first?" Floretta responded.

Amber scoffed. Floretta is not much different from her other cousins: girly, proud, and annoying as hell. She couldn't imagine her as a skilled Pokémon trainer.

The silver-haired beauty released her partner Primarina. Ash's Pikachu stepped forward.

"Ready when you are," Ash said as he stepped into his platform.

"Ready now," Floretta responded.

Floretta opened with Dazzling Gleam. The pink energy was countered by Pikachu's Dark Pulse. Primarina's Scald left Pikachu with a burn, but the tough Pokémon shook it off. Primarina used Focus Energy to raise base stats, and Pikachu downed a Full Restore potion.

"Time to show you what I got," Floretta said haughtily.

Amber rolled her eyes prematurely, for Floretta ended up having something impressive up her sleeve after all. She touched her index finger to the bluish-pink stone pendent from her neck. There was a shining brightness and Primarina mega-evolved. Amber gaped. Water Pokémon are not her true love—Jay, archery, Pip, and flying type Pokémon are—but she had never seen a mega-evolved Primarina. Its beauty stunned even a tomboy like herself.

If that wasn't enough, Floretta held up her wrist to reveal yet another preparation. She was wearing a bracelet that looked vaguely familiar to her. Was it something one of her parents or friends owned? Maybe it was her friend Soledad Oak's that she had seen. The Oak family always has the latest technology in Pokémon science. But she wasn't sure. It looked expensive, too.

Glowing and sparkling pink aura surrounded the Primarina. Amber was dumbstruck.

"Twinkle Tackle!" Floretta cheered as she lifted her fist in the air.

One of the diamond-like crystals on the bracelet glowed and hummed. Pikachu braced himself.

' _Twinkle Tackle?'_ Amber thought to herself. _'I never heard of that dumb-sounding move before_.'

A tsunami of pink aura overtook the arena, missing all but Ash, Amber, and Pip. She felt blinded by the light, and light-headed as well.

But Pikachu powered through it. One thunderbolt, and the Primarina fainted. Floretta stuck out her lip and did a princess-pout while Ash rewarded Pikachu.

"No hard feelings," Ash said as he shook Floretta's hand. "You just started last year. Experience is almost always more powerful than fancy moves."

"I got Primarina in a trade. The person I traded with must have lied about Primarina's power," Floretta whined.

"Like I said, experience and heart. You can try again, but I recommend waiting a year or two before you return to the Battle Factory," he responded.

Floretta had no further argument. She gathered up her personal items and then left the arena. Amber didn't question the mysterious crystals. She also didn't talk about how fun it was to watch her father battle live as he creamed five more trial-goers. Time flew by.

"I am ready for food," Ash said after bidding farewell to the sixth trainer that day. "Pizza, right?"

"Yup. That is where I planned on meeting my friends."

Jezz was sleeping when Amber called his house and his adoptive mother—Jay's older sister—told her that he was probably going to be out all week. She didn't let that get to her though. Jay still came, and as usual, he paid.

"You don't have to pay for me too," Ash told the almost thirteen-year-old as he prepared to hand the cashier a twenty-dollar bill.

"My mom and dad said they like waving their money in your face from time to time," Jay responded.

"I am not too proud…" said Ash.

That wasn't true but it didn't matter to Amber. Jay talked about his nails and this cute boy he spotted on his gaydar and she listened and ruminated on what she had witnessed at the Battle Factory.

"Tell me what that thing was about," Amber demanded.

"Me?" Jay asked.

"No, him," she said as she pointed to her father.

"I have been waiting for you to ask. It's related to your surprise," he replied.

"I don't understand," said Jay.

Amber attempted to explain, but she didn't have the right vocabulary. Ash picked it up, explaining z-moves and mega-evolution.

"We already know about mega-evolution, but z-crystals…if you learned about them and used them when you were ten, how come you don't use them anymore?" Amber asked.

"It's not fair to younger trainers. That is why mom and I let the new trainers use them—if they have them, which most don't—but we don't use them ourselves," he answered.

"How sweet," said Jay.

"How lame," said Amber. "Wait, so what is my surprise?"

"You'll see. Let's finish the pizza first."

 **End Part 1**

Notes:

\+ Please review if you have a few seconds to spare. It means a lot to me:)Thank you to everyone who reviewed so far. Your feedback means so much:)


	2. Part Two

Amber and Jay inquired more about the mysterious surprise while they left the pizzeria. Amber's stomach flipped when he pulled a gem out of his pocket. He handed it to Amber along with a gray bracelet.

"This z-crystal is called 'Electrium-Z'," he explained. "It attaches to the bracelet. Once during each battle, the user can summon the power using this pose."

Ash made this zig-zag pose with his arms and the kids laughed. He laughed along with them.

"There are several types. If you have a Pokémon with at least one electric-type move, you can use the Electrium-Z. The power of that electric type move increases two to tenfold, depending on the level of experience that the trainer and the Pokémon have combined," Ash continued. "And since you are old enough and ready for more adventure, I am letting you keep my Electrium-Z."

"Keep it? For real?" she asked, her voice full of awe.

"I rarely use it. I never gave it to you before because I didn't want you to rely on it from the start. I was going to give it to you for your thirteenth birthday, but I think you are ready for it now," he responded.

"This is awesome!" she squealed. "Oh yeah! Jay, I hope you are pumped!"

"More like scared," said Jay. "There is no way I will be able to beat you and Pip in battle if you have a z-crystal and I don't."

Jay looked to his partner Togekiss, who had flown back to him once they exited the Pizzeria. ' _Flying types are already weak to electric types_ ', he thought.

"If I remember correctly, your parents do have one z-crystal," said Ash. "And since they spent more time sunbathing than battling, I bet they will give it to you if you ask for it."

"I am going to do that as soon as I get home. In the meantime, Amb, can we share it and use it together? I can play in the woods now. I just have to be careful not to mess up my nails," said Jay.

"That is a good idea. Practice getting the hang of using it before you take it out for battle," said Ash. "And Jay, if for some reason they can't give you the z-crystal, remember that you don't need it. With a lot of practice and heart, you can overcome. The crystal is more like a booster. Don't think of it as something you 'need' in order to become a good trainer."

"Okay. I am still going to ask them though," he responded.

"All is fair."

Ash walked the kids to the Viridian Forest. Amber grabbed her bow and her friend's hand and they ran into the woods. Ash returned to the Battle Factory.

The hardest part was the stance. Jay helped her with that one. He pulled up a guide on his phone and adjusted her limbs as she stood ready to fight. An additional challenge was controlling the power. Amber had a fun time electrocuting trees and rocks, not caring much where the thunderbolts landed. That was until she was inches away from electrocuting her best friend. Jay was standing against a tree, doing his best to avoid the blows, but one bounced backwards off a rock and sped right towards his heart.

Luckily Pip jumped in front of him and used lighting rod right before the disaster struck.

"Now that you almost literally killed me, can I have a shot?" Jay asked as soon as he mentally recovered from the near-death experience.

"Go for it," Amber said as she handed him the bracelet. "But stand back. I don't want to die yet."

Jay slid the bracelet on his wrist. He admired it and commented on how it matches this outfit he has at his house.

"It's not a fashion item, it's a weapon," Amber told him.

"Either way I still get to wear it and strike a pose at the same time," he retorted.

"I guesso. Now aim and fire. I want to see what Jay Paul Morgan can do."

"Right," he said as he nodded.

Jay pushed the ahoge out of his face and summoned Togekiss. The fairy Pokémon looked at him quizzically.

"He knows thunderbolt," said Jay. "So, the z-crystal should work, right?"

"That's what my dad told us," Amber replied.

"Toge," the Pokémon said in understanding.

"K, here it goes," Jay said slowly. "Get ready for it."

"Togekiss~!"

Jay smiled brightly as he made the pose Ash had showed them. He gasped in awe as the golden energy surrounded him and his beloved Pokémon partner.

"Uh okay…. hit that rock!" Jay instructed as he pointed to a moss-covered boulder several yards in front of them.

"To~!"

As the Togekiss sang, a bold light struck the center of the towering boulder. The moss turned into smoky vapor and Jay jumped up and down happily.

"I did it!" he shrieked.

Amber laughed, for Jay's high-pitched cracked on the last syllable. He blushed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I still did it," he said after clearing his throat.

"Like a man," she said as she rolled her eyes and caressed his shoulder.

"Aha, yeah," he laughed awkwardly.

"Battle me?" Amber asked.

"Who gets the z-crystal?"

"Rock, paper, scissors."

Amber won and Pip cheered while Togekiss sulked.

"Oh yeah, I have ground types," said Jay.

"Who?" Amber asked.

"Alonian Dugtrio," he answered.

"Oh yeah."

Despite the increase in power, Pip's electric moves did minor damage to the level fifty Dugtrio. Amber accepted the defeat, then the kids decided to bike to Pallet Town, to Jay's house specifically.

"Mommy! Daddy! I am home!" Jay announced as he walked through the door.

Jay's younger twin siblings started screaming. Jay hit his hand against his forehead.

"I forgot that 3:00 pm is still their naptime," he groaned.

"Rose and Sil sleep a lot," Amber commented.

"They are two and a half."

"I guesso. It's still a lot."

The preteens found Jessie in the nursery. She was holding Rose while patting Silver on the back. She pointed to Amber accusingly.

"You woke them up. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get them to sleep?" she growled.

"I woke them up," said Jay. "I yelled. I am so sorry."

"I still blame her. She probably made you yell."

"I guesso."

Amber is used to Jessie accusing her of everything. She didn't care and sometimes found it amusing how much she disliked the fact that Amber Ketchum is her son's closest companion.

"Forbidden fruit is the sweetest," Amber said as she hugged Jay from behind.

"I don't want to know what goes on between you two," Jessie replied. "Whatever you do here, do it quietly."

"Mommy, I actually wanted to ask for a favor," said Jay.

James came in and took Rose, who was screaming the loudest while Silver drifted into a half-sobbing slumber, pissed that his sister woke him up again.

"I'll be right back," Jessie told James.

The kids followed her into the hall.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Do you know what a z-crystal is?" Jay asked.

Jessie eyed the bracelet that Amber was proudly flaunting. She scowled as a memory involving the redhead's father emerged.

"Mommy?" Jay repeated.

"Sorta," Jessie answered. "Why are you asking about them?"

"Ash gave one to Amber and he told me that you and dad also have one. I wanted to know if I can borrow it so that I can battle Amber fairly," Jay replied.

"Oh. As a matter of fact, I do have one," she replied. "I'll go get it. Stay here."

Jessie left and Amber and Jay took a seat on the couch.

"I am excited. I wonder what kind she has," said Jay.

"Anything but a ground-type one," said Amber.

"I want that one, or a fairy one for Togekiss. The fairy one is my favorite I think," Jay responded.

Jessie returned with a small box. She opened the box and held up the rose-colored gem inside.

"It's called fairy-something," she told the kids.

"It's Fairium-Z!" Jay exclaimed. "Ash called it that! It is the one Floretta was using!"

Jessie didn't bother to ask who 'Floretta' was but smiled as Jay drooled over the crystal. As he stood paralyzed with excitement, she secured the z-crystal onto a bracelet and latched it to her son's wrist.

"I am so excited!" Jay squealed.

His voice cracked again. Amber laughed but Jessie sucked it up. Jay blushed again and Pip offered him some water.

"I wonder how to get that to stop," Jay murmured after he took a few sips from the water glass.

"It doesn't matter. This is what matters," Amber said as she touched the Fairium-Z.

"Don't get your germs on it," Jessie admonished Amber. "It's special. James and I had to work really hard to get it."

"You mean steal it," Amber retorted.

"The details don't matter. We worked hard for it either way. This belongs to Jay and no twerps or twerp descendants can touch it, ever," Jessie replied.

"What if it is life or death?" Jay asked innocently.

"It won't ever be life or death."

"Pinky swear?"

"Pinky swear."

Amber internally laughed at Jay's immaturity. Jay thanked his mom for the crystal and bracelet a few more times, then Amber convinced him to go outside with her.

"Let's battle," she said.

"I need to learn the pose. I only ever saw it once, when Floretta did it in the battle video your dad showed us on his smartphone," Jay responded.

"We'll get it down."

The two worked together to learn the stance, and when Jay felt confident enough to battle, he did a practice match with Amber. But neither of them had great control over the power. The two z-moves collided and ended up burning a crater into the center of the yard. But it was almost dinnertime and dark when that happened, so Amber threw a tarp over the destruction and convinced Jay to stop crying about it.

"She will blame me anyway," she reasoned.

"This is true. Maybe they won't notice. We don't spend a lot of time here since the pool is on the roof," Jay sniffed.

Jay ate dinner with the Ketchums that evening, and Amber bragged about how accomplished of a trainer she planned on becoming now that she had another trick to use against her opponents. Amber got her adventure, and Ash had the opportunity to say:

"I told you I am exciting."

"I guesso. I am expecting more of these surprises in the future," Amber replied.

"I am expecting you to be ready for me."

Amber stroked the z-crystal—which she had attached to her bow—and said:

"No, I am expecting you to be ready for me."

 **The End:)**

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